Former Brighton and Leicester manager Mark McGhee appointed manager at Eastbourne Borough

Mark McGhee has been appointed as the interim manager of Eastbourne Borough.

McGhee, 61, will take over immediately following the sacking of Jamie Howell, who was dismissed on Saturday afternoon at Billericay.

McGhee, who lives in Hove, is expected to remain in place until the end of this season with a possibility of extending his stay for the next campaign. He is due to take his first training session tonight (Tuesday) and his first game in charge will be against Wealdstone at Priory Lane on Saturday.

McGhee said, “I live in Brighton, and when the call came to ask if I could assist at Eastbourne Borough I was delighted to offer my services.

“I look forward to the challenge of helping to improve what is clearly a progressive club trying to do things the right way”.

He was also the assistant manager for Scotland from 2013 to 2017 before returning for another stint at Motherwell and then Barnet.

Across Sussex, Mark will be best remembered as the Brighton & Hove Albion manager who led the club to the Championship in the 2003-04 season.

Former Eastbourne Borough manager Garry Wilson is friends with McGhee and Wilson carried out scouting work for Scotland during McGhee’s time with the national team.

The Glaswegian was a striker during his playing days and had a fine career with Newcastle, Aberdeen, Hamburg, Celtic and Newcastle once again.

In 1979 he was Sir Alex Ferguson’s first major signing for Aberdeen with whom he won the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup and 1983 UEFA Super Cup, as well as three Scottish league titles.

Danny Bloor will continue as assistant manager, as will Dean Lightwood as goalkeeping coach.

Bloor, who was brought to the club by former boss Jamie Howell, added, “This is a wonderful club to work with, and I am delighted to be continuing now with Mark. I and all of us at Borough can only learn and benefit from a man with Mark McGhee’s credentials and experience.”